WILLIAM IRELAND'S ILLUSTRATED LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, WITH SPLENDID FOLDING HAND-COLORED PLATES BY CRUIKSHANK, HANDSOMELY BOUND
(NAPOLEON) IRELAND, William H. Life of Napoleon Bonaparte. London: John Cumberland, 1828. Four volumes. Octavo, 19th-century full brown straight-grain morocco, spines gilt-decorated with Napoleonic emblems, burgundy and green spine labels, marbled edges.
First edition, second issue of the first illustrated life of Napoleon printed in England, with 27 folding engravings and aquatint plates (24 fully hand-colored) by George Cruikshank, handsomely bound.
This lavish work, originally issued in parts, includes views of battles, Napoleon's marshals, portraits of Napoleon in military and imperial attire, and a facsimile of his 1814 letter of abdication. The original parts (Volumes I-III, 1823-27) were published under Fairburn's imprint; Volume IV (1828) was published by Cumberland, who inset his engraved titles, all dated 1828. This set is the second (Cumberland) issue, with the four 1828 Cumberland engraved title pages. Tooley 278. Cohn 435. Prideaux, 341. Owner pencil signature.
Text and plates clean and fine, hand-coloring vivid. Expert restoration to some joints and spine ends. A handsome set in near-fine condition.